[Report of Observant KBZ 10Troy's interview with the entity: Clockwork at date 15,374 absolute.]
As I approached Clockwork he was bent over his universal monitor watching the destruction of the research facility of the Wizards in their distant realm. Ugh, Wizards. They caused more problems than they solve...
I materialized behind the Time Master only to hear his voice say, "Welcome Councilman" from behind my back. How he got there when I was watching him every second as I transported to his Castle of Time defies explanation.
"The Observant High Council has several concerns." I announced.
"Indeed." He sounded neither impressed or aggrieved.
"Did we not instruct you to destroy Danny Phantom's evil alternative?"
"Your concern was that with his power and belligerence he could disrupt history as we know it. I removed him from the time stream thus achieving what you desired." the ghost said, avoiding a direct answer to my question. As he spoke he had morphed into his elder statesman mode, as if to suggest he knew something more than I did. "Just because I didn't eliminate him the way you envisioned doesn't mean I failed in my task."
"And the council accepted that. When you said he was contained." I stressed every syllable, hoping to get the seriousness across. "Is this your idea of containment?" I hissed, pointed at the screen, showing the ghost tearing a path through the facility.
The universal monitoring board showed a multi-layered image of the Research facility. Damage to the building was shown as red splotches on the translucent walls and floors of the mammoth building. A line of red lead away from a section marked "Banshee Research" first randomly through the building then in a straight arrow towards the power complex. Not shown on the monitor was the cause of all this destruction - Dan Phantom.
"The Banshee has yet to leave the Wizard's facility. They have strong defenses and well-armed soldiers out to capture him. His escape is not assured."
The time ghost's casualness was infuriating. I could see why the Council of Observants routinely rotated their contact with Clockwork. The Time Master could drive the calmest of us mad.
"Escape is the least of our concerns. Look where he's going," I all but screamed. "He is headed straight for the Wizard's Ectoplasmic Extraction Power Generation Complex. If he destroys it, do you know what will happen!"
"I have known since before the Dawn of Time the dangers of enslaving ghosts for the power they produce."
"And still you allow them to do that?"
"I'm not here to tell civilizations what they may or may not do. That is beyond my power. Besides," He shifted to his child form, "Have you ever considered the consequences of denying the wizards their power supply? Because I can assure you they would find a new power supply..." He shifted into his adult form "by any means necessary."
I took a deep breath and let it out as slowly as I could bear. Less than ten minutes and already the Time Master was wearing on my nerves.
"We all know that the Wizards were close to discovering the secrets to Time Travel. If they had succeeded then the council's concern would have been well deserved. Yet in any effort to prevent time travel one must move quietly and indirectly, least you give away that someone is in fact manipulating history. I tried to sabotage their efforts as the council asked and the Wizards repaired and continued onward towards their goal. Since we were running out of time to stop them, I chose the easier path and diverted their interest to a shinier bauble."
"Bauble!" I exploded. "Your 'bauble' is about to blow a hole between the dimensions when that generator ruptures," I said, trying to break through the relentless arrogance of the Ghost of Time. "There will be such a flood of raw ectoplasm that it could cause immense destruction! Won't that disrupt the flow of time? Have you plans for that?"
"Of course." Clockwork shifted forms yet again "I have split the energy, diverted the energies spilling into the Human world into the one place fully capable of handling the breaches in the barriers between worlds. Amity Park."
"You're placing the fate of the universe in the hands of - Jack Fenton!"
[Councilor KBZ 10Troy was not able to complete his report. He had been removed to a quiet place and not tasked with further interactions with Entity: Clockwork]
Clockwork
Being the Master of Time isn't as exciting as one might think. In fact, in the youngest days of existence, I was almost unnecessary. Dinosaurs and small mammals didn't need to be interfered with. Only with the onset of humans would anything actually become interesting.
You see, from humans came all other sentient life on Earth and in the Realm. The incredibly intelligent Wizards, the ferocious Werewolves, the incomparably swift Vampires, the versatile Ghosts; all owe the humans their existence. And from those four species came thousands and thousands of other races, other tribes, other cultures, other languages, other beings.
And of those thousands and thousands of races and people, none have aggravated me more than the Observants.
They are an ancient race eons old that always lived to serve the ruling family of the Ghost Zone, mostly because they would never be able to survive on their own without latching onto a much more powerful being. Unfortunately, since King Dynithus's fall and his usurper, Pariah Dark's imprisonment, there hasn't been a ruling party for the Ghost Zone. So they cling to what they believe Dynithus stood for, constantly bothering the most powerful beings they can find to act as they wish with no thoughts on future consequences.
"You do the elder Fenton a disservice. It is true that he can be a buffoon but he has one of the sharpest minds on the planet when it comes to understanding ghost phenomena. He will be vital to containing the disruptions of the ectoplasmic tsunamis. But there is another..."
"Danny Phantom!" The young observant cried "He's but a child!"
"A child that within 3 months time defeated both Pariah Dark and his evil alternative, Dan Phantom."
"Never under his own power!" The Observant screamed. "He had a powerful suit to fight Pariah and his older self was restraining himself so as to not harm his past self so badly it would negatively impact his own past."
"He defeated Pariah Dark by inspiring allies to put aside their grievances and work towards a common good," I corrected. "The power suit helped him in his final conflict but only to the same level of power he would acquired when he becomes full grown. Danny Phantom is a banshee, and thus destined for great things. His power will be immense but will be guided by a great sense of humility.
And it was that humility that made him able to resist becoming his other self. His elder self has never known restraint, humility or fore-thought. Danny Phantom will do what Dan Phantom would never do, contain the leakage from the Ghost Zone into the Earth Realm."
"A child and an idiot," the Observant was muttering over and over. I fear his mind had broken. Gently, I placed him back in the Council of Observants and waited for the next of their number to interfere with my duties.
Author's Note: This was spawned from my other current Danny Phantom story "Specimen 972498" which can be found on my page. This was written because so much was happening in 'Specimen' that trying to fit both sides of the story would actually ruin everything overall. So enjoy this little side-story.